Census FAQs

What is the census?

The U.S. Constitution (Article I, Section 2) mandates a
census every 10 years to count every person living in the U.S. The first
official census was conducted in 1790. Today, the census counts people living
in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the Island Areas. This
includes people of all ages, races, ethnic groups, citizens and noncitizens.

When does the census
take place?

Census Day is April 1, 2020.

Do I have to complete
the census?

Yes. Federal law requires everyone living in the U.S. to
participate in the census.

How can I respond?

The 2020 census offers options for residents to complete their forms by phone, mail, and for the first time, online. People will be encouraged to use the online option if possible.

Will I receive a
letter with instructions on how to complete the survey?

In mid-March 2020, most addresses in the United States will
receive a postcard with instructions to participate online, but you will also
have the option to respond via phone or mail.

What happens if I do
not respond by April 1, 2020?

Through spring and summer 2020, Census Bureau employees will
follow up in-person at addresses that have not yet submitted the census form.

Are my responses safe and secure?

The Census Bureau is taking strong precautions to keep census data secure. The Census Bureau is securing online responses by using multiple layers of encryption and is working with the federal intelligence community and private industry, so it can quickly identify and respond to any external threats to its databases.

Will the Census Bureau keep my responses confidential?

Federal law requires the Census Bureau to protect any personal information collected and keep data strictly confidential. The law requires the Census Bureau to use data only for statistical purposes.

To support historical research, Title 44 of the U.S. Code
allows the National Archives and Records Administration to release census
records only after 72 years.

All Census Bureau staff take a lifetime oath to protect your personal information. Any violation comes with a penalty of up to $250,000 and/or up to 5 years in prison.

Can my responses be used against me?

By law, your census responses cannot be used against you by any government agency or court in any way — not by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, not by the Central Intelligence Agency, not by the Department of Homeland Security and not by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The law requires the Census Bureau to keep information confidential and use responses only to produce statistics.

Is English language
proficiency required to participate in the 2020 census?

No. The complete online census questionnaire will be
available in 12 languages other than English. Telephone responses will be
accepted in the same languages. Paper forms will be available in English and
Spanish. Language guides and glossaries will be available in 59 non-English
languages, plus Braille.

If I don’t have
access to the internet at home, can I still be counted?

You can complete the online questionnaire using a smartphone
or desktop internet kiosk that may be available at local post offices, libraries
and other community centers. Residents can also complete the survey by phone or
using the traditional paper questionnaire.

How does the Census
Bureau help me identify scams?

The Census Bureau will never ask for:

Full social security number

Money or donations

Anything on behalf of a political party

Your full bank or credit card account numbers

If anyone claiming to be a census worker asks for these
items, consider it a scam.

How can I identify an
official census worker?

If a field representative from the Census Bureau visits your
house, he or she:

Must present an ID Badge, which contains a
photograph of the field representative, a U.S. Department of Commerce watermark
and an expiration date.

Will provide you with supervisor contact
information and/or the regional office phone number for verification, if asked.

Will provide you with a letter from the Director
of the U.S. Census Bureau on Census Bureau letterhead.

May be carrying a laptop and/or bag with a
Census Bureau logo.

Where should I be
counted?

People who live at two or more residences (during the week,
month or year), such as people who travel seasonally between residences (for
example, snowbirds or children in joint custody) are counted at the residence
where they live and sleep most of the time. If usual residence cannot be
determined, they are counted at the residence where they are staying on April
1, 2020.

College students living away from their parental home while
attending college in the U.S. (living either on-campus or off-campus) are counted
at the on-campus or off-campus residence where they live and sleep most of the
time. Those staying in shelters or living outdoors are counted where they are
staying on April 1, 2020.

What if I am away
from my residence on April 1, 2020?

People away from their usual residence on census day, such
as on a vacation or a business trip, visiting, traveling outside the U.S., or
working elsewhere without a usual residence at that location (for example, as a
truck driver or traveling salesperson) are counted at the residence where they
live and sleep most of the time.

When will census
results be available?

The Census Bureau should release total population counts
from the 2020 census for the nation and each state in late 2020 or early 2021.

In 2021, the Census Bureau will provide census demographic
data on race and the voting age population to state governments, so state
officials can redraw the boundaries of their U.S. Congressional and state
legislative districts. Public Law 94-171 requires that the Census Bureau to
deliver redistricting data to state officials within one year of census day or
no later than April 1, 2021.